synclinorium's Grow Log 2011

Otherwise known as my first attempt at growing hot peppers; probably a good reason to keep track of my plants' progress. My list isn't quite as hot as the others I see on here, but I'm still at the point where most of the hotter chinense varieties are beyond my appreciation. Hopefully this season will begin to change that.

I didn't properly research before buying my seeds/plants, so forgive my naivety with some of my supplier choices; I don't exactly have high expectations when it comes to most of these plants being true to type. Seeds were started intermittently between the first week of February and the second week of March (save the giant Datil plants seen in the photo below, those just recently arrived).

Current list:

Aji Cristal (Reimer seeds)
Aji Amarillo (Hirt's Gardens)
Cayenne (Hirt's Gardens)
Tabasco (Reimer seeds)
Unknown Thai variety (Livingston seeds, if I recall)
Rocoto (Reimer seeds)
Datil (from ebay)
White Lightning Habanero (Hirt's Gardens)

Soon to be arriving from Local Harvest growers:

Fatalii
Aji Limon
Bulgarian Carrot
Jalapeno

Here's my current setup. I've been using the LEDs for tomatoes, but it seems to be working fairly well for the peppers too.

 

[synclinorium]

Just realized why some of the new growth on my peppers has been so distorted and why other plants are growing slowly... I was looking at the leaves of my peppers closely and some plants are infested with thrips. Are there any effective control measures for these guys?

 

[synclinorium]

First baccatum flower of the season (Aji Crystal)

The Rocoto is thinking about it too

 

[synclinorium]

Followed shortly by number 2; one of my Aji Amarillos decided to bloom.

Right now they seem more interested in growing out than up...

Not sure what's happening with the Rocotos. Most of the new leaves have been cupping.

But they're looking healthy and outgrowing most of the other peppers, including the earlier starts, which surprises me

I moved the Datils to a shadier location to see if that helps with their leaves folding up in the heat of the day

And finally my Jalapenos have started setting like mad. Being annums, I'm not terribly concerned about the heavy pod set stunting their growth.

 

[synclinorium]

Kind of off topic, but as far as the Florida weave is concerned, is there a proper procedure to follow when your plants reach the top of their supports? My housemate doesn't believe me when I say the tomatoes will reach at least 10 feet by the end of the season if we let them, but since they just passed the 5 foot mark, we're setting a good pace...

 

[synclinorium]

I moved some of my plants to a filtered sunlight location and that seems to be helping them. Their leaves have stopped folding in the middle of the day and I've noticed increased vigor. I'm thinking I might erect a shade cloth structure for the rest... it's been in the mid 90s for a couple weeks, and it's only going to get worst in July and August.

My lettuce and broccoli bolted this week, so I suddenly have more garden space available. Unable to control myself, I ordered a few more plants from some of the sites mentioned suggested in this forum, so I should have some more Fataliis, a 7 pot, Morouga red, and a Peter pepper on the way. Why I'm doing this to myself is beyond me, I can hardly handle your standard Hab.

I also bought some wilds seed that I might start this year for the hell of it. They'd definitely be an overwintering project.

I haven't been pinching flowers on my plants, just too much effort for me. I'm hoping the combination of warm weather and regular feedings will help keep the plants growing in spite of fruit set. My baccatums are loaded with flowers now, and the Datils will be explosive in that regard in about a week.

Aji Amarillo:

Datil:

Rocoto, side growth quickly catching up to the main stem:

Thai pepper doubly so:

Aji Limon perking up after weeks of doing absolutely nothing:

Visitor on my Tabasco. I'm probably going to stick this guy in the ground once it outgrows its current 2 gallon pot.

White Lightning Hab... I'm guessing this guy has a small sprawling habit by nature, as it seems to be growing outward rather than upward:

My shade-planted Rocoto outgrowing some planted in pots, in spite of its slug and flea beetle issues:

 

[synclinorium]

First pod set on my mystery pepper... now I wait and see:

On the non-pepper related side of things, first ripening tomatoes of the season:

And my Meyer lemon, which I bought this year as a 3-year bare-root plant pruned down to a nub, is having a second flush of growth:

 

[capsidadburn]

Looking great Sync! Good effort.

Mike

 

[synclinorium]

Thanks Mike.


I think I might tweak my fertilizing regimen... I have a feeling I'm either giving too little or too much.

 

[synclinorium]

Anyone want to start taking bets on the mystery pepper? I have a couple pods set, now I just have to wait. My very limited knowledge tells me this looks like a chinense, but maybe more experienced eyes can help. 2 flowers per node seems to be the norm right now.

Something I noticed today, I'm wondering if I have two different strains of Aji Amarillo. The flowers and growth habit between the two plants are slightly different. Plant one has a five-petal flower and more upright growth:

While plant 2 has 8-petal flowers and more of a sprawling habit:

Also, my Tabasco started blooming:

 

[synclinorium]

This post is a little encouragement for anyone whose plants are suffering due to pests, disease, or weather... it just goes to show how resilient peppers are.

Aji Amarillo plants, circa early April; happy, healthy:

Blam, disease hits in in mid-May, and the plants almost completely defoliate:

Aji Amarillo today:

Same goes for the Datils, circa late March:

Oh no, hail! (late April):

Arg, disease! (mid-May):

And fully recovered:

The suspense is killing me on my mystery peppers... the seem to be getting more pointy as they grow.

 

[synclinorium]

First penetrating rain we've had in a while... not sure my peppers really needed it, and now I'll probably have some cracked tomatoes. Ah well. Everything seems to perk up after a rain. Wish I could install some rain buckets on the downspouts, but my landlords don't want me messing with them. One in particular tends to flood the backyard every time it rains. Such a waste...

 

[synclinorium]

Also, looking the background at the older photos, I've just realized that my tomato plants have grown 4 feet in a month.

What the hell am I supposed to do with them now? Several have reached the tops of their supports and will soon be flopping all over the place... should I top them and let them bush out? I don't exactly have a second story balcony to tie them to here...

 

[synclinorium]

Wandered outside to take a pic of the tomatoes...

Most of my peppers are drooping from the inch or so of rain we just got this morning. I'm wondering if I should drill a few holes in the sides of the buckets to help with air circulation and drainage, as it seems like they droop any time they get watered anymore...

 

[synclinorium]

Mystery pods are definitely tapering to a point. It's hard to show with my crappy camera with terrible zoom, but there also seem be lobes forming on the upper portion of the pods.

Rocoto is thinking about blooming.

But this one still seems to be more interested in growing, not that I'm complaining.

Aji Crystal setting pods... still debating about whether I should pinch them or not, they're not quite a foot tall yet...

 

[synclinorium]

Picked this guy up at a nursery today (couldn't help myself)... it was just labeled as "Venezuelan pepper"

This Rocoto amuses me. I think I'm going to need to devise a different support structure for it, as it's becoming apparent that new growth grows outward at 90 degree angles to the stem.

 

[synclinorium]

Kind of feel like I'm spamming with all of these updates, but since it's my own thread...

Cayenne will probably be my first plant with ripe peppers. It has a respectable number of pods set currently.

Mystery pepper looking nasty as ever... I don't know what it is, but I'm picking up some bad juju from this guy.

Aji Amarillos definitely seem more interested in growing out at this point. They haven't started setting pods yet, so I'm not too worried about support... but down the road I'll need to rig something up.

Thai and Tabasco (respectively) starting to branch... I might plant the Tabasco in the ground to give it room to grow.

 

[synclinorium]

My mystery pepper is pretty well loaded with pods now, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Four corners of Datil and Aji Amarillo

Tabasco are going nuts, but their new growth is pale...

Same situation with the White Lightning Habs

Think I'm going to need to erect a trellis for the Rocotos. They're just sprawling out everywhere.

 

[synclinorium]

The Rocotos have started to flower...

 

[synclinorium]

I think whatever was affecting my peppers earlier was definitely herbicide exposure. I've moved all of my peppers to the other side of the yard away from my neighbor's well manicured yard and all of the new growth appears normal. There was some concern expressed that the growth patterns looked similar to mites, but I doubt mites just magically go away...

(Tabasco plant incidentally)

Aji Crystal

Jalapeno... by the way, how do I tell when these are mature and ready for picking? I know some people wait until they fully ripen, but I kind of prefer them green...

 

[millworkman]

Looks like its about tasting time. Those things look really good.